(8 Jul 2019) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus120005
U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Monday accused Democrats of trying to create a "public spectacle" by subpoenaing Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about the Russia investigation.
In a press briefing outside a prison in Edgefield, South Carolina, Barr said the Justice Department would support Mueller if he decides he "doesn't want to subject himself" to congressional testimony.
Barr also said the Justice Department would seek to block any attempt by Congress to subpoena members of the special counsel's team.
There's no indication that Mueller does not wish to appear before Congress on July 17.
But he put lawmakers on notice that any testimony he gives will not go beyond his 448-page report that was released in April.
At a news conference in May, Mueller said the team chose the words in the report carefully and that the work speaks for itself.
"I don't think that serves any purpose dragging Bob Mueller up, if in fact he is going to stick to the report," said Barr.
Mueller no longer works for the Justice Department, but the department could attempt to limit his testimony about decisions he made as special counsel.
Barr spoke to the AP Monday in South Carolina, where he visited a prison to discuss the criminal justice reform Trump signed into law last year.
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